Electric heater



Dec. 7 1926. 1,610,050

w. w. HICKS ELECTRIC HEATER Filed May 5, 1926 FIE '1 IN l/EN TOR I Wi/fiam l Vza/ay Mal:

A11 nramvsm Patented Dec. 7, 1926.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM WESLEY HICKS, OF

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

ELECTRIC HEATER.

Application filed May 3,

This invention relates generally to heating devices intended to be used as auxiliary equipment to a central heating installation.

In the ordinary furnace type of domestic heating system it is often desirable to have auxiliary heating equipment for either supplementing the heat of the furnace or for heating one or more rooms when the furnace is not in operation or is not functioning properly. It has previously been proposed to employ electrical heating means built into a distributing conduit of a hot air furnace so that the air in a room could either be heated by hot air flowing thru the conduit from the furnace, or by circulation into contact with the electrical heating means. Such a system is disclosed in the patent to Daley, No. 1,560,377, dated Nov. 3, 1925. The principal difiiculty with such prior systems has been their high cost of installation as they have required special conduits for mounting the electrical heating elements.

It is an object of this invention to devise an auxiliary heating equipment of simple construction which may be readily attached to any standard heating system.

It is a further object of this invention to combine an auxiliary electric heater with a damper construction whereby the damper when closed will serve to guide convection currents of air from the room into contact with the heating elements.

Further objects of this invention will appear from the following description in which I have set forth the preferred embodiment of my invention. It is to be understood that the scope of the invention is to be determined from the appended claims and thestate of the prior art.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view showing the manner in which the device of this invention is installed in the wall of a room.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

The device incor orates generally an open grille which is a apted to fit across the open end of a hot air conduit, preferably in such a manner that the grille will be flush. with the wall of the room. Mounted directly behind this grille there is a pivoted damper which may be manually controlled to either close the hot air conduit or permit passage of air from the central heating sys term. The electrical heating means 1826. Serial No. 106 238. I

sage of hot air from the central-heating system.

The specific construction disclosed in the drawings includes a frame 10' which is adapted to fit over the open end of a hot air conduit 11, the frame being provided with a plurality of grille bars 12. A flange 13 may be provided upon the frame for telescopically engaging with the conduit 11 whereby the front of the frame is positioned substantially flush with the wall 14 of a room. Positioned to the rear of the grille bars 12 there is a damper member 16 preferablv in the form of a shell which is secured to the frame 10 by a suitable pivotal mounting 17. A manual control lever 18 is secured to the damper 16 and extends thru the grille bars 12 in front of the frame whereb the damper 16 may be either swung backward to permit hot air to flow thru the conduit 11, or may be swung forward to the closed position shown in Fig. 2. Suitable means such as a split clamp 15 tensioned by screw 19 is employed for causing the pivotal mounting 17 to operate with sufficient friction to retain the damper 16 in any desired position.

Mounted upon the front side of the shell 16 and preferably in such a position that it will lie between the shell 16 and the grille bars 12 is the electrical heating element 20. It is obvious that any suitable type of heat-- ing element may be employed, the particular t pe shown comprising a pair of metal sl ieets 21 provided with registering corrugations 22 which serve to house the convoluted resistance conductor 23. The resistance conductors are shown as insulated by means of refractory tubes 24 which are threaded upon the conductors. The plates 21 are clamped together by suitable means such as rivets 26 and the assembled unit is mounted in spaced relationship with respect to the front side of the shell 16 by suitable.

means such as brackets 27. In order to provide for a certain amount of direct radiated heat, the front metal sheet 21 may be provided with openings 28 for exposing the glowing conductors 23.

The heating element may be connected to a source of current in any convenient manner. In the arrangement illustrated the terminal conductors 29 and 30 for the resistance element are connected to a suitable electrical receptacle 31 which may be mounted in one of the lower corners of the shell 16. Connection to this receptacle is made by means of a plug 32 which is electrically connected to a source of current thru the flexible conductors 33. For example, if the device is set into the wall of a room directly above the base board, the flexible conduit 33 may lead to a base board outlet 34.

In operation if it is desired to heat a room by hot air from the central heating system then the damper 16 is swung back away from the grille to permit unobstruct ed passage of hot air. However, if the central heating system is not in operation or if it is not functioning properly then the damper 16 may be swung down in the position shown in Fig. to close the hot air conduit and permit connection of the electrical heating element. The device will then operate the same as any ordinary electrical air heater and air from the room will circulate into and out of the shell 16 to be heated by contact with the heating element. The

shell 16 will, also serve as a reflector of a portion of the heat while the direct radia- J tion of heat may also occur thru the openings 28. In case it is desired to supplement the heating of the central heating system with the electrical heating means then the damper lt may be swung partly open and the heating element electrically connected so as to heat air within the room both by contact with the electrical heating element and by hot air from the conduit 11.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a grille adapted to extend over the open end of a hot air conduit, a member pivotally mounted behind said grille for controlling passage of air thru the conduit, and heatmg means mounted upon the front side of said member.- f

2. In a device of the class described, a grille adapted to extend over the open end of a hot air conduit, a member plvotally mounted behind said grille for controlling passage of air thru the conduit, and electrical heating elements mounted upon the front side of said member.

3. In a device of the class described, a grille adapted to be secured to a wall, a shell pivotally mounted behind said grille, and heating means secured to said shelL' .4. In a device of the class described, a grille adapted to extend over the open end of a conduit, said conduit being adapted to supply hot air to a room, electrical heating means secured behind said grille, and a member pivotally mounted behind said grille, said member being adapted to permit passage of hot air thru the conduit in its open position, and in its closed position to guide convection currents of air from the room into contact with the heating means.v

5. In a device of the class described, a frame adapted to be secured across the open end of a conduit, said frame including an open grille, a shell pivotally mounted to said frame and adapted to control passage of air thru the conduit, and electrical heating means mounted upon said shell and adapted to be positioned between the grille and the shell when the shell is in closed position.

6. In a device of the class described, a frame adapted to be secured to the open end of a conduit, 2. member pivotally mounted upon said frame and adapted to control passage of air thru said conduit, and electrical heating means mounted upon said member.

7. In a device of the class described, a -grille adapted to extend over the open end of an air conduit flush with the wall eta room. a damper mounted behind said grille, and electrical heating means mounted upon the front side of said damper.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM WESLEY HICKS. 

